Search

Financial Literacy Month Educational Events and Webinars

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs announced a series of free webinars and educational resources for National Financial Literacy Month in April 2026. The agency will host five webinars covering topics including imposter scams, budgeting, credit reports, electric bills, and debt collection. Resources include free publications, the LifeSmarts consumer challenge for teens, and community presentation requests.

Harmonisation reforms for charities and fundraisers

NSW Fair Trading has introduced harmonisation reforms for charities and fundraisers effective 1 April 2026. ACNC-registered charities can now automatically fundraise in NSW under a 'deemed authority' without requiring a separate NSW charitable fundraising authority. The reforms harmonise financial reporting and record-keeping requirements with ACNC standards and introduce 16 National Fundraising Principles.

Revised Food and Grocery Code of Conduct Now in Force

The ACCC announces that the revised Food and Grocery Code of Conduct is now in force for major Australian supermarkets ALDI, Coles, Metcash, and Woolworths. Large grocery businesses must now include specific disclosures in their supply agreements about circumstances allowing agreement changes, supplier payments, and set-off arrangements. Suppliers may negotiate terms at any time and opt-out provisions must include transparency statements explaining why they are reasonable.

East Coast Gas Supply Tight - Storage Critical for Winter 2026

ACCC released its March 2026 interim gas inquiry report finding east coast gas supply is expected to be tight in Q3 2026, with a potential 12-16 PJ shortfall in southern states. Storage facilities must reach maximum capacity ahead of winter, with Iona Underground Gas Storage on track to be full by early May. Contracted gas prices for 2026 remain steady at $13-15 per gigajoule.

Qantas, American Airlines interim authorization for trans-Pacific routes

On 1 April 2026, the ACCC granted interim authorisation to Qantas Airways Limited and American Airlines Inc to continue cooperating on trans-Pacific routes between Australia/New Zealand and the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This interim authorisation allows the ACCC to continue assessing substantive application AA1000709 for revocation and substitution. No compliance deadlines or penalties are associated with this interim step.

HMDA Loan Data Now Available on FFIEC Platform

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council announced that HMDA Modified Loan Application Register data for 2025 are now available on the FFIEC HMDA Platform for approximately 4,768 HMDA filers. The published loan-level data have been modified to protect consumer privacy and are accessible as institution-specific files or a combined dataset.

Atom Motorss Pty Ltd and Director Cigdem Simon Disqualified

NSW Fair Trading has cancelled the Motor Dealers Licence of Atom Motorss Pty Ltd and disqualified the corporation and its sole director Cigdem Simon from the motor dealer industry for 5 years. The action follows violations of the Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013 and Australian Consumer Law, including operating as an unlicensed motor dealer and making false/misleading representations using fraudulent PPSR information on Form 5 Motor Dealers Notices.

Motor Vehicle Repairer Wail Imad Jajaw Licence Cancelled

NSW Fair Trading has cancelled Wail Imad Jajaw's Motor Dealer and Repairer Licence and disqualified him from holding or being involved in any licensed business after finding he carried on business while his licence was suspended. The action targets a motor vehicle repairer in New South Wales for operating during a period of suspension. NSW Fair Trading emphasises this firm action protects consumers and upholds trust in the automotive sector.

CMA Actions on Business Software and Cloud Services

The CMA announced the launch of a strategic market status (SMS) investigation into Microsoft's business software ecosystem commencing in May 2026. Following engagement, Microsoft and Amazon committed to reducing cloud egress fees and improving interoperability for UK customers. The CMA will review progress in 6 months and seek views from customers and competitors.

NBN Regulation Draft - Service Quality and Consumer Protections

The ACCC released a draft determination on NBN regulatory settings commencing 1 July 2026, proposing enhanced benchmark service standards including reduced wait times for connections and fault resolutions, mandatory speed delivery verification, and improved appointment notification. The draft also proposes raising the entry-level broadband product from 25/10 Mbps to a higher speed tier.